


A Mother's Intuition

by Nugg



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Fluff, Hidden Relationship, Humor, M/M, Mothers POV, Pegoryu Week 2019, ryuji is unfortunately a bad liar
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-01
Updated: 2019-09-01
Packaged: 2020-10-04 16:01:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,874
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20473715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nugg/pseuds/Nugg
Summary: Mrs. Sakamoto finds herself suspicious of her son's recent mood changes and actions... and motherly instincts only lead to one thing in her book of explainatons... a girlfriend!Day one of Pegoryu Week 2019: It's Not Rocket Science





	A Mother's Intuition

When Ryuji’s mother caught him sneaking around after months and months of solitude and sour moods. She was of course 100% suspicious of her beautiful son, so wonderful, and entirely awful at keeping any sort of secret… 

First instinct was  _ girlfriend.  _ And boy, was she ready to whip out her scrapbook and make copies of all her favorites to give to the one who managed to capture her baby’s heart. 

Coming home after school with a smile and a pep in his wobbly step was one entirely new pull into a better direction. Opening that door and walking into their living room to greet her was an initial concern.  _ He never so much as grinned anymore, so what did he do?  _ How much trouble was he in?? 

All that had flipped when she’d overheard him in his room…  _ on the phone.  _ Talking! Talking to someone on the phone! Light hearted and fun, the conversation she decided to eavesdrop on had even produced a genuine laugh! 

(Learning later though, he actually was in a bit of trouble for being late to school, but none of that really mattered to her.) 

Days passed. Days passed where she’d come home to not see the old white hightops placed neatly by the door. Knowing her son to be cautious and surprisingly uptight about having things be clean, she couldn’t ask him why. 

Because he simply wasn’t there for her to ask. Some text spelled so badly in obvious haste sent to her phone she barely checked. She trusted her baby with every fiber of her being, and would stick to her belief in him until the day she finally left this earth… but how could she not find it a tad concerning? What could he have gotten himself into!? Did a gang get to him? Was that nasty teacher after him yet again? 

Of course in the end he was her own, and she knew what kind of things he could find himself doing. Ryuji was a magnet for all things worrisome, which was ultimately, a mother’s worst nightmare. 

“Aye ma!” 

About two and a half weeks into this new behavior, she was jolted by the ringing of her phone. Dozed off with her laptop open and awoken to find it subsequently dead, “What’s up Juji?” 

It might’ve been cold, but the dark roast she’d left on the coffee table had tasted good when she sat up. Stretching and closing the computer in an attempt to get back to reality.

A few bumps and indescribable noises later, he came through with a laugh, “Ima bring my friend over to help me study!” 

She spit her coffee out. 

It wasn’t a complete spray. More like a pathetic waterfall that found its way down the front of her. Struggling over the idea freshly going in her head like a bullet train on a roller coaster-like track. Too fast to even process, it was  _ such _ a small thing to him. 

_ A friend!  _ A real person. She was overwhelmed in every good way possible! 

“aaaWHA!” 

Oh no, her son must be a  _ little _ confused as to what was happening on her end. Trying to swallow what was left in her mouth and wipe what was on her chin in one go, “Sweetie! That’s fantastic! Oh, oh! Have you eaten yet!?” 

She was embarrassing herself immensely over the phone, but was far too focused to even dwell on it. Coffee staining her blouse without her caring one bit. 

_ Ryuji was bringing over a friend! A real life friend!  _ Even before the accident, this had never happened… could she finally live out her dream of being the cool mom that all her child’s friends loved?  _ Would she get that honor?  _

His little giggle sent pangs of adoration to her heart, and she fell back into the couch, “Ma,” someone spoke in the background, and he laughed back at them, “Don't throw your back out in excitement.” 

Oh that little asshole. 

She was hardly an old woman. Was teasing your loving parent a trendy thing to do now? Because she was sure she could fire back. 

_ Little punk wannabe. I should let your roots grow out and see how you feel!! _

Okay, maybe she was getting carried away, but all mother son banter aside. Her baby had brought a friend home, and a strikingly  _ handsome  _ one at that. Just a small bit taller against Ryuji with his bad posture, squave facial features, and beautiful hair. She wished to have a daughter the moment he walked through the door so she could get grandkids as magnificent as the boy in front of her. 

Kurusu Akira, a transfer with a backhand from life just as them. Smart, well mannered, and so, so nice to her child, it was a package deal. 

Package coming with magnets just as her son had possessed, this time, the pull was of people. The next months flew by with new faces and good influences entering Ryuji's life. The student body president, an artist, the daughter of the famous food chain??? Someone must’ve visited a shrine on her behalf, because boy was she being overwhelmed by greatness. Pulling people towards them left and right, and fixing him for the better, so this time, it would stick. 

Progressing over the months, she would catch some things here and there. 

A loopy smile on his face when he’d come home, face flushed when the cold weather was months away. Her motherly instincts were signalling something she’d only dreamt about. 

Perhaps her original idea was correct. Maybe Ryuji had met a girl, because who else could put such a blissful expression on his rather hard face? Brows not furrowed, relaxed and at ease despite the few times he’d come home with strange aches in places. 

That was a whole other issue in her mom-radar. Why did he return looking rough sometimes? Limping, and groaning at a crook in his neck or back? 

She had her theories there. With the thrown out calling card she’d found on the floor a bit back… but honestly, his love life was more important to her. And maybe that shouldn’t have been the case, but she had trusted him with whatever he was doing. Knowing his sense of justice was as strong as an entire police force, it would be no surprise to pin him involved with a certain… group. 

When she’d asked him about her suspicions. It blew her mind. 

That her own son. Whom she’d went through the awful pain of giving birth to. The one who gave her kisses on the cheek and still called her, “mama,” when the time was right… 

Her baby just told a bull-faced lie.

Little Juji, with his face so scarlet, and his hands all fidgety, had the audacity to tell her, “Nooo, no. I’m just hangin’ with my pals is all.” 

That small child from years ago who snitched on himself for accidentally flushing his stuffed animal down the toilet. So clumsy as to spill paint on the floor, and sob to his mom instead of hiding it. So scared of lying, that it most likely would bring him to tears,  _ had lied straight to her face.  _

It wasn’t rocket science. And he definitely shouldn’t pursue any career in acting, because the display before her was horrendous. 

Simply complying and figuring some day he’d really tell her, she put on her own lie in the form of a false smile. Waving him off and telling him to go do his homework under the guise of complete betrayal. 

It was almost offensive! 

_Almost._

So. She did what any mother would do.  _ Observe.  _ Gather her own evidence like it was a criminal case, and jump him with it when she had the perfect opportunity. 

A few days. A week. A couple weeks.

Watching his body language, and picking up on his mannerisms. Texting him about things, and trying to pry things out of Akira… 

Were they on a secret agreement? Because any time she’d question the usually quiet boy, he’d stammer and become undone. The hot weather was not an excuse for his reddened face. 

It was only when he’d come home with a small mark to his neck that she’d given up completely. Shocked beyond belief that he’d be even getting up to something like that, to see him early in the morning with something as unsightly as that, caused panic. Stealth mission of girlfriend discovery aborted,  _ her baby was getting too romantic!  _

_ _ Ryuji was far too oblivious to even know about the hickey, all red and exposed...

Summer was in full swing by the time she gave up on sitting around. 

With a nonchalant flick of his hand to wave her off, she watched as he went out the door. No explanation as to where as always… this time she couldn’t will herself to trust the, “going out with friends.” Stuck on, “going out,” over anything else. 

She slipped on her shoes and quietly left the house. Trying her hardest to put enough distance between each other, of course he’d take the stairs! 

Bounding after him as sneakily as she could, the night was young, and the sun had only just started to set. His usual fast pace proving difficult for her tired body, she still kept up. Knowing where her son got his speed from, her feet carried her at a safe amount of space away. Trying so hard to not be spotted, she always made it a point to be behind someone, or something. 

The few times she did lose him when they’d gotten into the heavier foot traffic areas, proved to be a small issue. Spotting that bright yellow hair from miles away, it was as if the universe was telling her to be a sneaky mom…  _ or that’s what she was telling herself to hide the guilt.  _

_ _ Sweat on her forehead, she pressed on despite the enticing ice cream shops they’d passed by so many times. Always cursing to herself as he rounded another corner, because dang, he couldn’t even take the train!?

Sure, people may have given her looks when she’d duck behind various objects, but she would have to make sure it was worth it. The motherly side of her brain forcing her to take things this far, she always made sure Ryuji remembered to never stop with his ambitions. And so, she figured she should take her own advice. 

“Aye,” she heard casually, which made her ears tune in, and her movements stop. Trying to pick up on where they’d ended up at all the while. 

Finding herself conveniently placed at a nice bench, she helped herself. Plopping down and twisting immediately to glance over the shrubbery that separated them. It was quite the beautiful (and all the more secluded) place to meet up for a date 

On the other end, nobody answered, and of course she immediately peeked out to see. Knowing her mission to not be as easy as she would think, hopefully she wasn’t spotted. 

Akira stood, smile so nicely on his face. The thought of someone looking that genuinely happy to see her baby initially warming her heart. And the thought of it not being a love interest making her previous statements, and venture out there seem all the more silly. 

Sighing, she sat back, taking in the surroundings as she listened carefully. Noticing the small shops that lined whatever park they’d ended up at, her son had clearly found his way around Tokyo far more than she ever had. Never knowing such a quaint and cute little place to have existed, maybe she needed a personal tour of the city from the apparent traveler himself. 

Maybe she was wrong about him, and maybe her stalking him wasn’t the best way to deal with this. 

“You look all cute n’ shit,” Ryuji laughed awkwardly, getting an earnest one in return, “Aw c’mon you know I ain’t good with this stuff!” 

_ Cute?  _ Okay. Okay. Now she definitely  _ had  _ to look behind her, she didn’t get out much, so this would be her big excitement for the next block of time.

Akira shook his head, obviously biting back a teasing smirk, “You look, ‘cute n’ shit,’ too.” He tried, coming out far more lovelier than her son. 

Rolling his eyes and grinning wide, Ryuji did something with his hands out of her viewing point, “Thank ya for coming out here though, I really wanted to do something with you, man. We haven’t gone out together in a while.” 

_ They had both called each other cute.  _ Was that not taboo in boy culture!? 

“Of course, I love spending time with you, Ryuji.” Akira was doing something as well, and her mind was only left but to imagine. 

_ Opening a candy? Digging through a bag? Handling their ‘not-so-secret thieving business?’  _ Wait, wait.  _ Love?  _

“You’re makin’ me blush ‘Kira,” He practically choked out, obvious flusteredness soaking his tone, “How did I get so lucky?” 

Alright now, if her mom radar was enough of a sign, everything that was being said right now could be construed as romantic. And as far as her memory could take her, ‘bro’s’ didn’t speak like that at all. 

Curiosity killed the cat, and her hands braced the top of the bench. Twisting to get a full view, and to see if her sudden wild thoughts would prove to be true. 

Mrs. Sakamoto got a front row seat as the two boys dropped their hand hold.

A front row seat to her baby,  _ kissing _ someone of the same gender. Mouth dropping open in realization and absolute shock, everything made sense then. 

That beautiful boy with the complexion her porcelain dolls as a child would envy. The one who brought her son from the depths of despair with a kind smile. Kurusu Akira, with a voice that could lull anyone to a peaceful sleep..?

Who had begged for pictures of Ryuji as a baby, and who had always been glued to him… 

_ How could she not know her baby Juji swung that way!? What kind of mother was she!  _

Ryuji, still being held firmly, opened his eyes after that shocking kiss. Akira’s hands never leaving, even from a distance she could tell they were looking into each other’s eyes like they became the only people in the world. Experiencing their whole relationship boil down into locking lips…

As if every moment between the two fused together in that moment, their wide and beautiful smiles said nothing more than pure joy and love. Seen from miles away, if she could, she’d be jumping around and squealing like a schoolgirl at this. 

She had her suspicions, and she was correct. Her kid, despite all the tutoring he’d been getting recently (if that’s what they were even doing this whole time.) wasn’t the smartest, and it certainly it wasn’t hard to figure him out. 

Even if she was off by a bit, her little Ryuji wasn’t so little anymore. Deep into an obviously loving relationship, how could she possibly mind that he was into boys? She was over the moon to finally know he had someone who cared for him as much as she did, and with the way he had looked at her son, perhaps he loved him even more than she did. 

Sure she may have been a bad parent for sneaking up on him. But now she knew why he couldn’t tell her, and also found it in herself to know that she would give him all the time he needed to come out. 

“Ready for the movie?” Akira asked, kiss probably so normal to them by now. 

Not having to look to know he was happy, his, “‘Eff yeah!” Had started to fade away along with their footsteps. 

With a heavy sigh of all the information just given to her, she sat back against the bench and decided to enjoy the warm summer air. Thinking about everything she’d assumed the past couple of weeks ten times over. 

Ryuji have been sneaky, and may have never been thought to have been gay… but somehow, she always knew. Deep down inside, a girlfriend as never probable. And her mind begging for her son to be a daughter so they could be together, only had to realize she didn’t need a daughter for that. 

She was at peace… 

… 

For a second.

“Mrs. Sakamoto!?” She’d heard, drawing her attention to the next bench over. 

A blonde girl with pigtails sat along with a short haired brunette, and a small orange haired girl as well. Familiar enough for her to gasp upon seeing them, their faces seen so many times in pictures, her sons friends sat just as happy with themselves as she was. 

Snorting, she shook her head with humor, “You girls come to figure it out yourselves?” 

The one who’s name she remembered as Niijima, nodded, “Oh, yes.”

They all shared a small fit of laughter across the benches for a moment. 

Shrugging and controlling her giggles, Sakura had taken the words straight out of her mouth. Probably anyone close to those two could see the connection… it just took a little bit to connect those dots. 

“Well, duhhh…” Sakura grinned, “It’s not rocket science.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I can't wait for all the fun stories! Let's just hope I can keep up! 
> 
> Please comment! It fuels me!!!!!


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